LUMINOUS IMPRESSIONS

"Susan Perkins' work has the ethereal quality of seeing shapes in the clouds. Elements of familiarity appear and then disappear. Calligraphic elements whisper through these woven sculptural works.

Perkins works through a series of steps. Her work is as much about meditation as it about craftsmanship. The first step involves gestural drawing in black ink across white paper. These intuitive drawings often express her feelings. This is followed by the slicing or sometimes delicately tearing of the paper and then arranging it, transforming it into a new beginning. In arranging the paper, Perkins creates what she calls her "personal calligraphy". Then, using a loom, she weaves these new compositions through shimmering fibers, suggesting the rhythm and flow of life. For her, "this process is prayer". In the final step, she uses medium gel to adhere the paper to the fiber. "This represents union," Perkins says. The finished work reflects the contemplation that goes into each piece."

Nancy Cohen Israel is the owner of Art a la Carte, a company specializing in art education, art consulting and curatorial work.